Means for comparing time mechanisms



J'. L.'ALDEN Erm. 1,905,778 KEANS FOR COMPARING TIIE IECHANISIS April25, 1933.

Filed Dec; 30, 1927 V Joli/1 54001 Arm/war Patented Apr. 25; 1933 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN L. ALDEN, or W'YNCOTE, rENNsYLvANm, ANDCHARLES :r. MCCARTHY, or EAST ORANGE, NEw JERSEY, ASSIGNORS, BY MEsNEAssIeNMENrs, r WESTERN ELEc- TRIO COMPANY, YORK INCORPORATED, OF NEWYORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW MEANS FOR COMPARING TIME MECHANISMS AApplication filed December 80, 1927. Serial No. 243,545.

This invention relates to means for comparing time mechanisms and moreparticularly to means for regulating watches.

An important problem that arises 1n connection with the regulation ofwatches or other timepieces is to determine when proper adjustment hasbeen' made. In general the principle involved in re ulatm watches 1s tocompare the watch to be regu standard timepiece. On account of the smallperiods of time involved and the tendency of individuals to difler inthe accuracy oftheir observations, some means, utilizing a method otherthan a method of direct comparison, is exceedingly desirable.

An object of the present invention 1s to provide efiicient means forcomparing a time mechanism to be adjusted with a time standard.

A feature of the invention is an indicating mechanism controlled by atimepiece to be adju'sted and by a time standard whereby the relativerate of the timepiece is indicated.

Another feature is a rotatable indicator.

adapted to be controlled by the conjointaction of electrical impulsesproduced by a t me standard and electrical impulses corresponding tomovements of a timepiece to be comared. p A specific feature is atimepiece oscillatory support or vibrating reed having connection with amicrophone whereby the mechanical vibrations generated by the pulsationsof a timepiece may be amplified and translatedinto electrical impulses.

Another feature is an electrical system comprising a switch controlledby a standard timepiece and a second switch controlled by a timepiece tobe adjusted, said switches being included in a control circuit for theoperating mechanism of an indicating device.

Broadly the invention comprises a device having intermittent movement ormechanical vibration, means. sensitive to vibrations of the device forconverting these vibrations into electrical wave impulses, an indicator,the movement of which is controlled by an electric current and relaymeans sensitive to the waves and adapted to produce variations in atedwith a the current flow corresponding to these The circuit of theelectric current a plurality of devices, one controlled shown a systemfor comparing a timepiece to be adjusted with a time standard.

The system shown in the drawi-n includes a watch 10 held in asupportingfixture 11 impulse and the other by a time g i v. In the one figure ofthe drawing there is in mechanical connection with a microphone 12.There is also included an indicator 20, a standard clock or timestandard 13, a ro-. tary switch actuating device 16, an indicatorcontrol circuit 20 and a starting switch 34.

The supporting which is mounted on a base 11 comprises an oscillatoryreed 21 having a laterally projectmg member 22 including a horizontalportion 23 and a vertical portion 24; The reed 21 supports clampelements 25 and the member 22 supports a cooperating clamp element 26.The clamp element 26 includes a shank inserted through a hole in thevertical portion 24. The shank is slidable and is yieldingly pressed aflat spring 27. The microphone 12 is mounted on the upper any suitablemanner.

One electrode of the microphone 1s electrically connected to oneterminal of the circuit of a relay 18, including a battery 17 and theconnected to the other ple of the type disclosed in Patent 1,426,757 toG. R. Moore" of August 22, 1922, and represents any suitother electrodeis fixture ll-for watch 10,

end of the reed 21 in against the watch 10 by able means for convertingmechanical move ments into electrical impulses.

The standard clock 13 is adapted to ac tuate a switch 14 in any suitablemanner.

This switch is included in a circuit with the winding of magnet 15 andthis circuit may be traced through the battery 33, to the movable arm ofswitch 34, movable arm of switch 16', winding of magnet 15 to switch 14.The

W device 16 includes a rotatable disc or ratchet wheel 35 connected by ashaft36 to a second disc 37 on the edge of which the movable armarrangement renders the indicator inoperative until the first tick ofthe standard clock, i. 'e., closure of contact14, after the closure ofswitch 34. The ratchet wheel is engaged by apawl 39' ivoted to thearmature 40 of magnet 15. is armature is connected to a sprin 41 and isadapted to retract the pawl w en the magnet 15 is released.

The indicatin device 20 includes a similar disc or rate et 42 withgraduations 43 and a Bointer 48. A pawl 44 adapted to engage t e toothedriphery of the disc 42 is pivoted to the en of an armature 45 which mturn is pivoted at the point 46 and is adapted to be attracted b themagnet 31. A sprin 47 is attache to the armature 45 where y it mayberetracted when the magnet 31 is released.

' of ms The indicator control circuit includes the et 31 in series withswitch 19, battery 32 and switch 16". It will be evident that bothswitches 19 and 16' must be closed before a current can flow in thiscir- The device herein described operates in the following manner: Whenan operator desires to regulate a watch he places it in the clamps 25,26 and closes the manual switch 34 which is normally held ofien by aspring 34 The vibrations or mec anical watch 10 are transmitted t roughthe watch casing to the reed 21 and thence with a cer-' tainamplification to the microphone 12. The resistance of the microphone isaccordingly lowered and the current flowing the circuit of the relay 18connected to the microphone is corres ondingly increased. This increaseor inipu of current causes the relay 18 to attract its armature thusclosin the switch 19. At the cessation of the p tion or tick theresistance of the microphone is restored, the current is reduced and therelay 18 releases its armature, whereupon the switch 19 is opened. Theswitch 19 thus opens and closes once for each pulsation of the watch. Y

68 The of switch34 prepares the cirulsations of the tors and t cuit ofma et 15 and upon the. closure of .switch 14 t e magnet 15 attracts itsarmaspring 41 actuating pawl 39 thus causing the ratchet to rotate adistance equal to the pitch between adjacent teeth. If the magnet 15ogerates once each second the ratchet prefera ly has 61 teeth so thatthe switch 16' will be closed during an interval of one minute.

Durin the interval that switch 16' is closed, t e switch 19-successivelycloses and opens the control circuit of magnet 31 of indicator 20,thereby interrupting the current in this circuit. At each closure ofswitch 19, magnet 31 attracts its armature and with it the pawl 44 andat each opening of switch 19, magnet 15 releases its armature whereuponthe pawl 44, actuated by spring 47, moves the disc 42 through an arccorresponding to the itch of the teeth. Assumin that the watc 10 isproperly re ated an ticks once each one-fifth second, en the disc 42should have 300 teeth. Thus during a one minute interval the disc 20will be rotated one complete'revolution and the zero on the scale willstop opposite the pointer 48. If, however, watch 10 is not correctlyregulated the disc 42 will be rotated-more or less than onerevolution-and the pointer 48 will indicate with respect to the scale onthe disc the number of one-fifth seconds the watch is fast or slow. Thegraduations on the disc are here assumed to be aced a distance equal tothe pitch of the test h on the ratchet.

At the sixty-first actuation of the magnet 15 the arm of switch 16'falls into notch 38 and ofiens the indicator control circuit stopping te indicator.

Althou h a microphone has been described for trans ating the ulsationsof the watch into electrical imp any other suitable device, such as aiezo-electric or photo-electric device, may substituted therefor.

vIf desired the standard clock and rotary switch mag be associated withother indicaeir control circuits, whereby one operator may adjustseveral watches simultaneously. This mafy be done by connecting thecontrol circuit 0 other magnets 31 to the leads 50 and 51 in the samemanner as in the control circuit of the magnet 31, shown in the drawing.

If it isdesired to have a run longer than one minute the number of teethonthe ratchet wheel 35 may be correspondingly increased. For example, ifa two minute run is desired the wheel 35 should have 121 teeth.

.In this case, the ratchet 42 may have the same number of teeth asbefore or it may be provided with'600 teeth.

After the operator has taken the reading resulting from a run, theratchet wheel 42 may be reset manually to its starting or normalposition, that is, "with the 0 position on the dial directly oppositethe arrow on the pointer 48. The operator then removes the watch undertest and replaces it by another one, closes the switch 34 and thecircuit automatically repeats the operation described above.

Although this invention has been described in connection with a specificembodiment, the principles involved are susceptible of numerous otherapplications that will readily occur to persons skilled in the art andit is to be limited, therefore, only as indicated by the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a time indicating system, a base an oscillatory reed having oneend secured to said base, means carried by said reed at a point adjacentsaid base for supporting the timepiece, a microphone mounted on the freeend of said reed for receiving amplified impulses from the timepiece,and a work circuit connected to said microphone.

2. In a time indicating system, a base, an oscillatory reed havin oneend secured to said base, means carrie by said reed adjacent said basefor supportin micro hone mounted on t e free end of said reed orreceiving amplified impulses from the timepiece, a circuit for saidmicrophone including a source of current, and a magnet ener 'zed throughthe operation of said microp one, said magnet having an armature,

an indicator, a motor magnet for actuating said indicator, a circuit forsaid motor magnet mcludmg a source of current, a normally openswitch'and said armature, means operable for closing said switch tocause the op-' eration of said motor magnet for actuating said indicatoraccording to the operation of said microphone, means for opening saidswitch and a standard clock for controlling the operation of the lastmentioned means.

3. In a time indicating system, a base, an

ing a source of current, and a magnet alternately ener ized through theoperation of said microp one, an armature actuated by said magnet, anindicator, a motor. magnet for actuating said indicator, a circuit forsaid motor magnet including a source of current, and said armature and acontact ar ranged tobe engaged by said armature for alternately closingand opening the last mentioned circuit, a normally open switching dcvicein the last mentioned circuit, manually the timepiece, a-

tions of the timepiece are amplified at the free end of the oscillatoryreed.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe our names this 23rd day ofDecember, 1927. JOHN L. ALDEN.

CHARLES J. MCCARTHY.

